Park meets with IOC officials over Olympic controversy

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – The International Olympic Committee held a disciplinary hearing on Monday for South Korean soccer player Park Jong Woo, who stirred controversy in London last summer by sending a political message in the bronze-medal match against Japan.

The IOC will decide on Park’s fate at a board meeting Tuesday.

“I answered the questions as earnestly as I could,” Park said. “All I can do is wait now.”

At the London Olympics, where his team beat Japan 2-0, Park raised a banner proclaiming his country’s sovereignty over the Sea of Japan islets known as Takeshima in Japanese and Dokdo by Koreans. The IOC asked Park to not attend the medal ceremony and has yet to give him his medal.

Soccer’s world governing body FIFA banned Park for two games and issued a fine of 3,500 Swiss francs in December.